Flexible valve stem drive



Oct. 25, 1948. c, w, BRYANT 2,452,428

FLEXIBLE VALVE STEM DRIVE Filed Aug. 30, 1945- .13 6077 5 Mgr aw: J5. 0%

Patented Oct. 26, 1948 I,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE VALVE STEM DRIVE Corwin W. Bryant, Downers Grove, Ill., assignor to Crane 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 30, 1945, Serial No. 613,579

1 Claim. (01. 74-504) 1 v v 2 This invention relates to valve actuating means Fig. 2 is a, sectional view taken on the line 2--2 or the like. More particularly it pertains to a of Fig. 1. novel, flexible valve stem drive suitable for valve Similar reference characters refer to similar operation, but which is also capable of being apparts in the views mentioned. plied to numerous installations wherein flexibility 6 Referring now to Fig. 1, the valve bonnet I in actuation is desirable. Briefly, it is one of the shown is normally attached by means of bolts more important objects of this invention to pro- (not shown) to the usual valve casing which is vide a flexible type of drive coupling in a geared also not shown. The upper portion of the said or power drive on a valve which is relatively'easy bonnet is provided in the usual manner with the to install and to maintain, 10 substantially tubular extension 2 forming a stuiT- A further important object is to provide a, coning box for the gland 3 by means of the eye bolt struction in which the valve crosshead or valve gland studs 4 bearing against the usual gland stem holder may be eliminated by simplifying the flange 5, the compression of the packing being acarrangement overall both in compactness and in complished by tightening the nuts 6. At the upper the number of parts required. portion of the bonnet at enlarged cup section I is A further object is to provide a construction in provided having the annular flange 8 and upon which the cost of manufacture is substantially which the gear housing, generally designated 9, reduced and in which previous close machining is supported and held by means of the stud bolts operations have been eliminated to a large degree. I I.

A further object is to provide a construction in 0 Within the lower portion of the cup d sefition which the design is substantially simplified in l of the bonnet the usual internally threaded yoke contrast to that employing a plurality of keys bushing I2 is provided and within which the rooraspline drive. tatable, reciprocably movable stem I3 is thread- To obtain a better appreciation of the backedly journaled for desired reciprocating moveground of this invention, it should be understood ment in opening and closing e Valve, a Closure that heretofore much difficulty has been encounmember (not shown) being attached to the lower tered in providing concentricity between the valve end of the stem l3 in one of several conventional stem and the power unit sleeve when making the ways. At an offset end portion of the gear housfinal assembly. The instant contribution overg 9 a 11101301 is mounted Which y be either comes such shortcomings. fluid or electrically driven and which being con- Previously on power applications of certain nected by a shaft l0 rotates the worm 15. As intypes of globe valves, for example, it ha b dicated, the latter member is in mesh with the the practice to place two separate keys diametri- Worm wheel [6. The worm wheel is non-rotatably cally opposite on valve stems for driving purposes, mounted upon an annular shoulder of the turret resulting in relative rigidity therebetween which sleeve H by means of a keyed connection d s proved to be very objectionable. In the current t d l3 whereby the turret S eeve may be Suitinvention, a single loose fitting key passing tran ably rotated for actuation of the stem as hereinversely through the stem is preferably employed after explained in more detail. in which the stem has desirable clearance in the At thls Stage of the description of the construeunit sleeve. Thus ther exists no rigid connection tion, attention specially directed to the novel feab t t t and t sleeve and accordingly ture constituting the essential element of this ina fl xibl drive is ff t d vention. Ordinarily in prior structures the valve It should of course be understood with such f be .g i g'. i gg wlthmtifhe 11 10-11 s eeve o provi e a re a we y r1g1 connec ion 82 g giit i ziigg zg fg gg sgm'ggggfig therebetween. In this contribution, however, the breaking down the affected operatm arts ha valve stem is provided with a loosely fitted drive b gp s key l9 as shown (also see Fig. 2) loosely fitting gzgg z zi zfig gg ffs fr m the con within the diametrically extending slot 2| and engaging the oppositely disposed slots 22, provided structlo? W111 become more Teadlly appal 6111? upon in the turret sleeve l1. It will thus be apparent p d g t t following sp fi t r ad that by virtue of the construction shown, the

n light f the accompanying a g, in which valve stem, upon rotation of the sleeve l1, will Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional assembly view likewise be turned in view of the engagement of of the flexible drive of this invention applied to a the end portions of the drive key IS with the slots conventional valve. 22. The lower portion of the gear housing 9 is provided with the recess 23 having the lubricant seal 24, the sleeve i! being journally supported upon the inner race of the thrust bearing 25, the latter member in turn being positioned by the lower thrust bearing retainer wall 26. The upper portion of the turret sleeve is supported by means of the thrust bearing 33 mounted in the retainer wall 34 of the cap 31. For the purpose; of providing hand operation by the handwheel member 21, the extension shaft 28 is coupled to the worm shaft by means of the coupling 29. The upper portion of the casing 9 may be closed in,the 4u su almanner by the cap 3| having a central opening 32 if necessary to permit the stem to rise there! through when the valve closurememberisin the open position. It has been found under some circumstances, depending upon the lift of; thevalve, that the opening 32 may be closed, since the stem 1 3 need not necessarily project through the-cap the stem: threads engage the yokebushingand upon rotation of: the; stem the valve closure membenmoves upward or downward, thus opening; or closing the valve-asdesired It will be; apparent that because the drive key I9 is loosely fitted within the stem slot 21 and since: the slots 22 in the-unit: sleeve afford similar clearance, the stem mounting! provides: a clearance relative to the drive which permits a, predetermined desirableifreedom of: motion; Under certain conditions. it has-beemfoundthat-ahardenedw drive key more acceptable and 'it might be equally; desirable inreducing, manuiapturing costs further to, provide a special; milling cutter" to;v slot the st ms Obviously" the structural detailsmayva w sub,- stantially from.- that: shown and: described and therefore it is the desire that the scope of this invention be measured by the appended claim interpreted in light of the prior art.

Iclaim:

In a valve actuating mechanism, a combination comprising a housing, a valve bonnet cooperating with the said housing, a valve stem suitable; for rotative and; reciprocating -movement relative to the said housing and said' bonnet, a sleeve snugly journaled for rotative movement in the said housing and surrounding a portion of the-said valve stem, the said stem being closely journaled for rotative and longitudinal movement in the: said valve bonnet, driving means for rotating. the said sleeve, a fiat plate member serving as the driving connection between the said sleeve and, the said stem, the said flat plate member extending diametrically across the upper end of the said stem and being relatively loosely carried in a transverse slotted opening extending throu h; the longitudinal axis of the said; stem at the uppers-end portion thereof thesaidflat plate member being smaller in thickness" than the width ofthe slotted opening of thestem and also being-smaller than the height of: the said" slotted opening the saidsleeve having diametrically dis- D sed, longitudinally extending; slotsto receive projecting; end: portions of; the said fiat plate member, the slots being; of; greater width than the thickness of the saidflat plate member, and the-distanoe'between'thebottomsof the said slots in; thesleeve being; greater than the; length of the said-flat plate member.

CORWIN W. BRYANT.

REFERENCES CITED Elie-following references are of record in the Erie ofth-is patent:

vUNITEIQ STATES PATENTS.

Number, Name- Date 639 518 Skirrow July 30; 1901 1,786,810 Yoder Dec; 30, 1930 1*,8 41693 Kindervater Mar. 1, 1932 2,150,813: B all' Mar. 14, 1939 2,340,999,- Drott Feb. 8, 1944 2i352g14 0; Trott. June 20, 1944 FOR IGN B Z IEN SJ .0 Number Country: Date 842,323: France Feb. 27, 1939 

